B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[vnsseed]

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If it were me, I would choose #2, but that's just my opinion.

 

[chickenmum]

I would choose #1...If it were me...I mean, the Dorking shape is really important. And I think that behavior with chickens is most of the time just what the chicken itself is like. I have a Dorking cockerel who was never aggressive at all, then came back from a show and jumps at me whenever I go in his pen. So in my opinion, I would focus more on the body type since temperament can just show up. XD But that's just me.

The white is a concern though...is it more than a third white? Which one has the shortest, sturdiest legs? Who's fifth toe is more separated from the fourth? How high is the tail? Questions! Questions!

 

[elizmartin]

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I have had several groups from Sandhill and only minimal losses as they grew, same with other hatchery groups. I fell in love with trying different breeds and some are much hardier than others.

crowding and lack of ventilation, have you checked for parasites? internal & external? it has become more important for me now that my hubby won't let me free range as much...lost some favorites before i knew i had a problem.... brought their resistance down. Keeping the outside coop floor dry and watching the weather for large weather swings...not mixing older birds with under 5-6 month old til they build their resistance. giving electrolytes, (emergen-C or Chick saver) during stress times.

Glad to hear of necropsy options, will check into...had a vet do and never got specifics back (cost 200.00), called the state poultry vet where the samples were sent and she said the samples she received were inconclusive.

I have had egg birds for years but only recently decided to try breeding my favorites. Belonging to several breed lists the tendency is an interest in new colors, often profit driven, and some because they have bred the standards for along time and want to try something new. I worry somewhat because some talk of crosses without the thought of what makes a particular breed special unto itself....again those words, type and breed character......
I really have enjoyed reading everyones thoughts, Happy Holidays All, eliz martin, Washington State

 

[rtroxel]

I bet you could mix in some raw milk to the store milk and that would give it a start. Like a culture... Ever tried it?

Rudy

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ok i got horribly ill once on soured milk... you sure it's ok to give chickens? as in grocery milk with lumps in it ??

don't want to hurt the chickies but sure would be less of a waste.

Not soured pasteurized milk.. thats bad stuff, as it has none of the good bacteria to culture itself. Raw milk only.

 

[rtroxel]

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I can't see the pics from this computer, so I'm not commenting on the birds themselves. Frankly, if you have only 2 left, culling one of them is a bad idea, imho. Keeping a bird is like buying chicken insurance and if you lose one (actually pretty likely with winter up ahead, etc.) you always have a backup. You cull one, then lose him and you're worse off than if you're a bit overcrowded. Also, you need a good sized/shaped bird and if you keep both you can hatch from both and get more diversity to use in mating in the future.

I never cull to just one rooster. I can't risk it. Right now, I have several of each variety that I have. At least 2 never fewer. Usually 3 or 4. I'll deal with housing issues long before I have to mess with looking for somebody that has an extra this or that within normal driving distance.

 

[rtroxel]

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You got scalped. A chicken necropsy takes 5 minutes. Cut out the liver, in one bag; the intestines: another bag; etc. Put it all on ice and send it to your state diagnostic laboratory. In fact, if you can't send it to your own lab, send it to a nearby one. I know you can do that. The lab at Purdue charges a $25 fee per order plus a nominal fee if they run any special tests.

My dad is a vet and it doesn't even take him 30 minutes to necropsy a calf. I'm fairly familiar with the process, at least with Purdue.

 

[ki4got]

ok i've asked around and haven't gotten any definitive answers, so i'll try again...

on wing banding, can anyone post a pic of an adult bird with a wing band? i want to see how visible it is...

and on leg banding, what size band do you use for adult birds? chicks? others?

this is dorking specific, not in general, as I know breeds vary...

i have silver-grey dorkings right now, ranging in age from 4 days to fully adult. I'm using zip ties right now, but want a more permanent option to be able to ID them by sight as they grow.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Usually when you order the leg bands, there will be a description of what size fits which breeds. I'm using the plastic, numbered, spiral leg bands. Size 9 for the hens. I lost the box for the rooster size bands, but I'm guessing that they're size 10. I bought size 5 chick leg bands and they are so small that they won't fit my 2 week old Delaware chicks.

Personally, I don't like the look of (or doing) things like wing bands, or ear tags for my other critters.

Kim

 

[ki4got]

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i agree, i don't really like the idea of purposfully injuring newly hatched chicks, but I'm also wanting to be able to identify individual birds, and just banding chicks isn't as precise... i've tried the zip tie bands on these chicks, and unless i snug them pretty close, they're walking out of them. right now it's not so critical, i'm only hatching from 2 hens / 1 roo... but down the road i plan to have 3 family lines going with up to 4 hens per roo. so being able to ID individual birds becomes more of a challenge.

 

[DaveK]

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i agree, i don't really like the idea of purposfully injuring newly hatched chicks, but I'm also wanting to be able to identify individual birds, and just banding chicks isn't as precise... i've tried the zip tie bands on these chicks, and unless i snug them pretty close, they're walking out of them. right now it's not so critical, i'm only hatching from 2 hens / 1 roo... but down the road i plan to have 3 family lines going with up to 4 hens per roo. so being able to ID individual birds becomes more of a challenge.

Wing bands go on fine and cause no problems in and of themselves. In some situations the birds have picked at them as they are very visible until the birds are grown and feathered enough that they are basically hidden. But if they start in on the band and where it's at you've got a mess. You will not be able to identify individual birds running several hens to a cock unless you are trap nesting or housing each hen individually and bouncing him in and out. You CAN identify birds from each of your matings by toe punching. Done properly, and it sure ain't hard, there is no need to band until the birds you are keeping need something fairly permanent. Individual ID isn't needed for most of us. Great flocks of chickens have been kept and improved along with sheep and other stock by keeping track of the sire and the females in with him for that season. Female lines can be kept track of even if they aren't known as individuals. It's enough record keeping for most folks and allows someone to know who has been producing what and can be a tremendous help in putting together future matings.